Computing ballot-box.



0. A. BALL. COMPUTING BALLOT BOX APPLICATION FILED 812F123, 1907.

Patented Oct. 27, 1908.

4 BHBET8SHEET 1.

WITNESSES Arron/E YS G. A. BALL. COMPUTING BALLOT Box. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 23, 1907.

Patented Oct.- 27, 1908. 4 sums-sum 2.

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS G. A. BALL.

COMPUTING BALLOT BOX 7 APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 23, 1907.

Patented Oct. 27, 1908.

4 SHBETS SHBEI 3.

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS 0. A. BALL. COMPUTING BALLOT BOX. APPLIOATIOH I'ILED SEPT. 23, 1907.

1908. 4 gums-SHEET 4.

Patented Oct. 27,

- ATTORNEYS- WITNESSES UNITED sTA gEs PATENT 'FFIGE CHARLES ALBERT BALL, or MARION, INDIANA.

COMPUTING B ALLO T-B OX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

IPatented Oct. 27, 1908.

Application filed September'2 3, 1907. Serial No. 394,104.

a computing ballot box or voting machine,

adapted for the use of fraternal and benevolent societies, lodges, clubs and the like,

whereby-a more reliable and secretive method of conducting the election of applicants for membership is obtainable, than at "present,

and to provide a method of conducting a secret atfirmatlve or negative ballot without the aid of tellers, or the use of paper ballots.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a mechanical device that admits .of any number of votes being cast as a ballot,

- and which will unerringly disclose the numher of votes cast pro and con, and further, to so construct the ballot box that the total of the: votes will remain concealed until properly disclosed, and wherein only one white and one black ball is visible to each voter, thus preventing speculation as to the number and character of the votes cast, and

wherein further only one black or white ball can be moved by a voter, a signal being given at the casting of the vote.

It is also a purpose of the invention to construct a device of the character described in a very simple, durable, economic manner,

. and so that its use may be readily comprehended by any person of ordinary intelli-- gence.-

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed .out in the claims. 7 7

Reference is to be had to the accompany ing drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the device;

Fig '2 is a longitudinal section taken practically on the line 22 of-Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is therefor being removed; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the device, the cover and the partivtions beneath it being broken away, and Fig. 5 1s a bottom plan view of the devlces, partsof the partitions beingalso broken away.

The ballot box A is preferably given the constructed in a rectangular form, and may be made of any suitable material, and is pro vided with a handle a located usually at one of its ends. At or about the central portion of the cover 10 of the box parallel elongated openings 12 and 13 are located, as is best shown in 1 and 3. ,These openings are beneath a cage 14 that is preferably made of a perforated or reticulated material, and is open at one end to permit the introduction of the fingers of the hand to reach the openings 12 and 13, and a slide-Way 15 extends along the sides of-thecage and at the closed end thereof,.and a box cover 16 has movement in the said slide-way, being provided with a drop door 17 so that when the ballot box is not in use the cover 16 may he slid over the cage and its hinged portion 17 dropped down soas to protect the interior of the box. The box is divided into compartments by means of an upper horizontal partition 18 and an intermediate partition 19,

. conventional shape, namely it is ordinarily which latter partition is removed a predetermined distance from the bottom 20 of the box body of the device, and at one end of the box body, that end preferably where the handle a is located, two sliding doors 21 are produced, one at each side of the center, said doors being shown inFigs, 2 and 5, and these doors 21 when they are closed constitute a portion of the bottom of shown in Fig. 5.

In the arrangement of the ballot box, two groups. of mechanism are employed, one identical in construction with the other, and these two mechanisms are located one at each side of the center of the box body, extending longitudinally thereof. One mechthe box body as is anism is belowlthe opening 13 and the other below the opening 12, and at the opening 13 a black ball 22 is visible, although any'desirednumber may be'employe'd. and at he opening 12 a single white ball 23 appears.

a plan view of a portion of the device, the"; As the two groups of mechanism are iden protecting screen or .cage and the cover l tical in construction,I will describe only the shown in 1* mechanism that is operated by the move ment of the black balls. The order above stated may, however, be reversed.

Below the dpening 13 an inclosure 24 is constructed, preferably of oval form, as is ig. 4, and this inclosure extends from the partition 18 to the top 10 of the device. At one end portion of the inclosure 24., a shaft 25 is mounted to turn in the top 10, the partitions 18 and 19, and the bottom 20, but at the other end of the inclosure which is nearest the handle a, a second shaft is mounted to turn in the top 10, and the partition 18 only, which latter shaft is designated as 26. A star wheel 27 is secured on the shaft 25 between the partition 18 and the top 10, and a like wheel 28 is similarly located on the opposing shaft 26 as is shown in Figs. 2 and 4, and these wheels are preferably provided with'five points, but the number of points may be changed as desired. These star wheels 27 and 28 are practically turn-stiles, since they receive between their points the balls 22 or 23, and by the movement of the exposed ball in direction of the arrow shown in Fig, 3, the said turn-stiles 27 and 28. are given movement. Each of the star wheels or turn-stiles'27 and 28 is provided with an attached disk 29 at its lower end, but of much greater diameter, and these disks form supports for the balls 22 or 23, and the balls are guided between the shafts 25 and 26 by means of guide plates 30, that extend from one shaft to the other at each side, as is best shown in Fig. 4. The handle-end a of the device will be farthest away from the voter, and the balls as voted are moved toward the voter. The white and black balls start in the same direc' tion, but move in reverse elongated circles back to the starting point.

At the lower end portion of the shaft 25 a sprocket pulley 31 is located, and on the corresponding shaft of the opposing mech= anism a similar pulley 32 15 secured, one pulley being at a greater elevation from the bottom 20 than the other, as is shown in Fig. 2. At a point in a line between the opposing shafts 25 and 26, another shaft is secured between the-bottom 20 and the partition 19, and on this shaft 33 two wheels 34: and 35' are mounted to turn, or these wheels may be secured to the shaft and the shaft be made to rotate'in suitable bearings. Each wheel 34 and 35 is provided with five points or teeth 36 at equal distances apart, and as the wheels 34 and rotate, the teeth 36 are brought in engagement with a tongue 37 having a suitable support 38, and as the said tongue is engaged by a tooth and then released, it will sound an alarm or give a signal; the tongue may be substituted by a pawl if so desired.

A crossed belt 38 is carried around the sprocket pulley 32 and around the upper toothed wheel 34, and a straight belt 39 is car ried around the sprocket pulley 31 and the lower toothed wheel 35, as is best illustrated in Fig. 5. Thus it will be observed that no matter whether a black or a white ball moved, the star wheel 27 belonging to the mechanism supporting the ball moved will be rotated, and by reason of the use of a straight belt and a crossed belt, the points or teeth on the wheels 34 and 35 will agitate the tongue or pawl, as the case may be, from the same direction, thus insuring the same sound from the use or movement of either a white or a black ball. In order that two balls, a black and a white one, shall notbe moved at the same time, and to render it positive that only one ball can be moved respecting one vote, toothed wheels 40 are secured at the lower ends of the shafts 25, and the teeth of thesaid wheels are adapted to be engaged by a double pawl 11, which is pivoted about centrally between two arms 42 at a point between the aforesaid wheels 40, as is shown in Fig. 5, and the arms of this pawl are provided with teeth 42, adapted to mesh with the teeth of the wheels 40, but both arms are not normally in engagement with the two .wheels, one arm being always out of engagement with a wheel -10, as is shown in Fig. 5, so that if a white ball is pushed forward to be counted as a vote, the arm of the pawl belonging to the mechanism set in motion would slip from the wheel 40 and would consequently lock the corres aondin wheel of the other mechanism, and should anattempt be made to push both balls at the same time, the pawl 41 would act to lock both of the wheels 40.

- Each shaft 25 is provided with a disk 43 fast thereto and located in the compartment between the partitions l8 and 19. This disk 3 is provided with five groups of teeth, designated as 44, or a number of groups of teeth corresponding to the number of points in the'turn-stiles or star wheels employed. Ordinarily there are three teeth in a group, as illustrated, but I do not confine myself to any specific number, and the groups of teeth are at regular distances apart. The

teeth of the disk 43, as the said disk revolves, engage with the teeth of a pinion 48, that is secured to or is an integral portion of a disk 46, which is a units disk, and this units disk and its accompanying gear 47 are mounted to turn on a shaft 48 ournaled in bearings in the partitions 18 and 19. as is shown in Fig. 2. This units disk 46 is provided with a single group of teeth 47 at its periphery, and the said teeth are usually four in number, as is illustrated in Fig. 4,

lution,its teeth 47 engage with the teeth of a tens disk 49, that is mounted to turn on a disk 51 isalso provided with a sin shaft 50, likewise journal'ed in the parti-v tions 18 and 19, and on this tens disk 49 a smaller disk 51 is secured, and the smaller 'le group of teeth 51at its periphery, andtliis group of teeth is usually four-in number also, and after the tens disk has made one revolution, its teeth 51 are brought in engagement with the teeth of a gear 53 having an attached disk 54, which is a hundreds disln-and the gear 53 and accompanying disk 54 are mounted to turn on a shaft 52, that is likewise 'journaled in the partitions 18 and 19,-

as is indicated in Figs. 2 and 4, but the disk at is below the partition 19 and its under face, bearing the numerals, is within a cap 54, shown in Fig. 5.

The units disk 46 is provided with humorals at its'bottom, adjacent the periphery,

reading from 1 to 9, including-O, and the tens disk 49 is similarly numbered, and ordinarily the disk 5 l'designating hundreds is provided with numerals on its outer face, reading 1, 2, 3,4, 0, or as high as may be desired.- Both the units disk and the tens disk are provided with recesses 55 in their under faces, and in each of said recesses a pawl 56 is pivoted, and: the said pawls are adapted to engage with ratchet teeth 57 produced in circular depressions in the upper face of the partition 19, so that the said units and tens disks can be turned in one direction whenever the bottom doors 21 are opened. In the partition 19 twoopenings-are pro duced, designated respectively as 59 and 60,

, and the numerals on the units disk are visible at the opening "59, and those on the tens disk at the opening 60, while the numerals on-the hundreds disk are visible at an opening (31, as is shown in Fig. 5; thus it will be observed when the units disk makes one complete revolution it causes the tens disk to moveone point, and. when the tens disk has made a complete revolution it causes the hundreds disk to move, and in this manner an'accurate accountingis assured. v,

.The gear is provided with a detent 62,

which detent is located at theupper side of the wheel and engages with a ratchet surface 63 'on the under face of the partition 18, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

From present information there is apparently no ballot box in use sufliciently secretive to carry out the intent and purpose for been cast, a practiced eye can detect from the balls or cubes'uncast, the complexion of the vote and determine how a predecessor has voted; also in the present ballot box, a ballot which is being deposited in the box can frequently be seen by persons other than.

the voter. Again, after aballot has been completed, it isoften moreor less diflicult to make a correct reading of the result, for

the reasonthat the balls or cubes are deposited in a receptacle that frequently admits but a little light, rendering it possible'to make a miscount. My ballot box is designed to overcome the above-mentioned and other defects, since it admits of any inimber of votes being-cast, 'andprovides for an absolutelysecret accounting of the votes, and since there is but one. black ball and one white ballvisible at a-time, there will be no uncast votes to speculate upon. Further, it is not necessary' to pick up a ball and risk exposing it, and a blind or near-sighted person is able to vote 'without assistance. Finally,but one vote can be cast at a time,

and the sum ,of the votes pro and con can be accurately ascertained at a glance upon opening the doors at the bottom of the box 7 It will be understood that the major portion of one ball, and probably a portion of the following ball, is visible at each opening 12 and 13, and that when the practically fully exposed ball 22 or 23 ispressed forvward with the fingers of the operator, the

partially exposed ball will take the place of that pushed forward, and the registering mechanism will have been operated to reg-- ister one vote, black or White.

Having thus described my invention, l

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. A voting machine comprising a casing. a plurality of registers in the casing, a series of register actuating ballots for each register, means, whereby the ballots of each series are successively and repeatedly brought into position to be operated. one at a time, and means for preventing the ballots of all the series from being simultaneously operated.-

2.-A voting machine comprising a casing, a plurality of registers therein, a plurality of series of register actuating ballots, one ballot for'each series, being at all times visible, and means for confining and-guiding each of said series within the machine casing to cause each ballot of the series when said moved to repeatedly move past and operate its register.

3. A voting machine comprising a casing, a plurality of registers therein, a plurality of series of register actuating ballots, one series for each register, means for confining and guiding each of said series Within the machine casing to cause each ballot of the series when moved to repeatedly move past and operate its register, means for exposing the reading faces of the individual registering mechanisms, an alarm, and means for operating the alarm as each register actuating ballot is progressively moved.

4. A ballot box having an opening therein and a series of balls androlling movement below said opening, a single ball of .one of the series appearing at said opening.

5. A ballot box having an opening therein and a series of balls mounted for-sliding and rolling movement below said opening, a single ball of one of the series appearing at said opening, and an adding mechanism brought into action by the movement of the balls.

6. In a ballot box, the combination with a box having an opening therein, a series of balls mounted for movement beneath said opening, only one ball being visible at said opening, and guides for the said balls, of an adding mechanism located within the box, a driving mechanism operated by the balls in their movements, and connections, between the driving mechanism and the adding mechanism.

'7. A ballot box provided with opening? in its top, side by side, a series of balls mounted to travel below each opening, one series-of balls being black and the other white, and a single ball only of each series appearing at the opening provided for the series, an adding mechanism for eachseries of balls, and means for independently setting the respective mechanisms in motion by the movement of the balls pertaining thereto. 8. A ballot box provided with openings in its top, side by side, a series of balls mounted to travel below each opening, one series of balls being black and the other white, and a. single ball only of each series appearing 'at the opening provided for the said series, an adding mechanism for each series of balls, means for independently setting the respective mechanisms in motion by the movements of the balls pertaining thereto, an alarm device also operated by the movements 'of the balls, and guides for the said balls.

9. A ballot box provided with openings in its top, side by side, a series of balls mounted to travel below each opening, one series of mounted for sliding" balls bein black and the other white, and a single ball only of each series appearing at the opening provided for the said series, an adding mechanism for each series of balls, means for independently setting the respective mechanisms in motion by the movernents of the balls pertaining thereto, an alarm device also operated by the movements of the balls, guides for the said balls, a. cage located over the said openings, and a detent mechanism arranged to prevent the simultaneous movement of the two exposed balls.

10. In a voting machine, a carrier for the ballots, consisting of opposing star wheels, disks sepuredto the said wheels, extending beyond the periphery thereof, adapted to support the ballots, and rotary supports for the star wheels, said wheels being simultaneously turned by the movements of the ballots on said supporting disks.

11. In a voting machine, a carrier for the ballots, consisting of opposing star wheels, ballots adapted to be received between the points ofthe star wheels, supporting disks for the ballots, carried by the star wheels, independent rotary supports for the star wheels, and an elongated inclosure for the star wheels and ballots,.the wheels being simulta-neously revolved by the movement of the ballots.

12. In a voting machine, a body provided with openings therein, movable ballots with in the body, exposed singly at said openings, and a cage located over said openings.

13. A voting machine comprising a casing having an opening therein, a register in the casing, a plurality of register actuating ballots, and'means, whereby the ballots are successively and repeatedly presented oneat a time, at the opening.

- 14. In a voting machine, a casing having an opening therein, a register in the casing, a

"plurality of register actuating ballots, and

means for supporting and lots so as to brin the opening of t posed ballot to register.

15. In a votingniachine, a casing having an opening thereln, a register in the casing, a plurality of register actuating ballots arranged in the casing below the opening thereof so that but one ballot will be exposed at said opening, and means, whereby when the exposed ballot is moved, the register will guiding the balthem successively opposite 1e casing to permit the exbe moved to operate the be operated and the ballots caused to travel 1n a circuit.

16. A voting machine comprising a casing having openings therein, a plurality of registe'rs'in the casing, aplurality of series of register aetuatin ballots, one ballot for each series being at al times visible at an opening of the casing, means for supporting and guiding each of said series of'ballots to permit each ballot of the series to be repeatedly moved to operate its register, and means for preventing both registerslfrom being simultaneon-sly operated.

17. A voting machine comprising a' casing, a plurality of registers in'the casing, a plurality of register actuating ballots for each register, means whereby the ballots of each 10. series are brought into position to be operated,- one at a time, an alarm, and means whereby the alarm will be sounded when the ballots of either series are operated.

In testimony whereof I'have signed my name to this specification in the presence of 15 

